By 1831 with the outbreak of cholera many doctors were still not very highly regarded. This is understandable. They did not know what caused disease. There was no knowledge of infection. Anaesthetics were not used and blood transfusions killed the patient as no-one knew about blood groups. To make matters worse quack doctors were notorious. Quackery had always existed and with the outbreak of cholera a golden opportunity had come. They would sell ‘miracle cures’ to desperate patients, often just made of sugared water or useless pills. Consequently, the medical profession was often despised and ridiculed as the following sources show.